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Today's News - Tuesday, October 22, 2013

67-year-old Gordon Smith is listed in good condition at a Hagerstown hospital after a horrific crash Saturday in Franklin County, near the Maryland border. Smith’s wife, Marjorie, was killed along with four people riding two motorcycles. Gordon Smith is a Westmont Hilltop school board member.

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No one was injured, but two people were left homeless after a fire broke out at a house on Howell Street in Gallitzin Sunday night. Fire crews had to return Monday morning when the flames re-kindled. A State Police Fire Marshal is investigating the cause. The house is a total loss, but the homeowner did have insurance.

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Bishop McCort High School is moving forward with the process of finding a new principal. The Tribune-Democrat reports that the school’s Board of Trustees will be accepting applications for the job until Friday. The position has been vacant since March, when former principal Ken Salem was placed on administrative leave in the wake of allegations in the Brother Stephen Baker sex abuse scandal. Salem resigned in June.

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23-year-old Levi Thomas Reedy, of Somerset, is in the Somerset County Jail after threatening to shoot himself during a domestic dispute. Reedy also hit a woman in the head with a liquor bottle, struck her in the face and pulled her hair during the argument, then asked her if she wanted him to shoot her first. He is charged with terroristic threats, simple assault and harassment.

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Lieutenant Governor Jim Cawley is hoping to be released from the hospital today. He was taken to Harrisburg Hospital yesterday after feeling lightheaded while presiding over the state Senate. Officials say Cawley is feeling much better but doctors wanted to keep him overnight until all the test results are back.

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Former Penn State president Graham Spanier wants to delay his defamation lawsuit against Louis Freeh until the criminal case against Spanier , Gary Shultz and Tim Curley plays out. The “Centre Daily Times” reports that an attorney for Spanier asked for a stay Monday, saying her client would be prejudiced if the civil matter must proceed before the criminal case is resolved. The three former administrators are expected to stand trial next year. Spanier is seeking monetary damages and is demanding a jury trial in the civil case.

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The problems people experience while trying to sign in to the new government healthcare website are not that much of a surprise after all. A report from “The Washington Post” reveals HealthCare.gov crashed during pre-launch trial runs, but was rolled out on October 1 regardless to meet the program's deadline. During an appearance at the White House yesterday, President Obama promised the site was being fixed.

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California's commute-crippling Bay Area Rapid Transit strike is over. BART trains are expected to be rolling by 6 a.m. Pacific time. This, after a tentative agreement was reached Monday night, ending the walkout that started last Friday.

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Amnesty International says CIA drone strikes in Pakistan amount to unlawful killings, some of which could be considered war crimes. The group is now calling on the U.S. to provide information and the legal basis for strikes in Pakistan.

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Today's jobs report from the Labor Department is coming out 18 days late. The numbers were collected in mid-September and would have been released two-and-a-half weeks ago if not for the government shutdown. Economists believe the economy added around 185-thousand jobs in September and unemployment held steady at just over seven-percent.

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A heroic Nevada teacher is dead after attempting to disarm a gun-wielding middle schooler who opened fire on his classmates Monday. Police in the community of Sparks confirmed that the student shooter was armed with a semi-automatic handgun. Two students in are in stable condition after being shot.

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Authorities are admitting they improperly seized the bank records of the accused Aurora, Colo. theater gunman. Yesterday's court testimony revealed that the court order used to seize James Holmes’ records lacked a judge’s signature. Holmes is accused of killing 12 people and wounding dozens more during the 2012 massacre at a suburban Denver cinema.

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Acquitted murder suspect Casey Anthony is agreeing to pay up for the group that helped look for her daughter. Texas EquuSearch sued Anthony, claiming it spent $100 thousand looking for her daughter, Caylee, while she knew all along that the two-year-old was already dead. Anthony is currently going through bankruptcy after being tried and acquitted of first-degree murder in 2011. An EquuSearch attorney says they have no idea if the group will get the $75 thousand Anthony agreed that she owed them.

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A breastfeeding Missouri mom faces contempt of court charges. KCTV reports Laura Trickle recently appeared for jury duty with her seven-month-old son in tow and told the court that she had no childcare options and that her baby doesn’t take a bottle. Trickle faces a Thursday hearing and a $500 fine if found guilty.

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Lady Gaga and Miley Cyrus will face off against Barack Obama and Mitt Romney at the inaugural YouTube Music Awards. Nominees for the internet event were announced on Monday and both Gaga’s “Applause” and Miley’s “We Can’t Stop” earned nods in the Video of the Year category.

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Apple is expected to lift the lid on new iPad models today. There’s no official word on what will be included, but rumors have swirled about potential new full size and mini models. The new mini is expected to include the company's retina display to provide sharper viewing for users.